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Tuesday, 18 September 2012

The Chilli Festival at Bennington Lordship

This year was the 6th annual Chilli Festival at
the Bennington Lordship Garden, just outside of Aston/Stevenage. It took place
on the bank holiday weekend at the end of August, as it does every year as it
continues to grow in popularity.

If you want to find out more you can follow them on
facebook, or at their website.

The festival attracts thousands of visitors over the two
days and has a whole host of stalls offering chilli based products (from oils,
chocolates, chutneys and curry sauces) to chilli plants, and chilli packed
street food. There’s even a range of speciality beers and other drinks to help
you cool down!

One of the highlights of the day however is the chilli
eating competition! If you are fortunate enough to go next year, make sure you
arrive with plenty of time in the morning so that you witness some very brave
people brave some of the hottest chilli’s in the world!

Unfortunately this year we missed the chilli eating
competition – though we were lucky (not sure that’s the right word...) to
witness the aftermath and lots of milk being drunk. I’ve also learnt that
lesson the hard way before.

I visited the festival this year with my boyfriend and I
think I can safely say we tried EVERYTHING there. I must admit, I regretted the
odd one or two after doing so, and more than once I bit off more than I could
chew, but all in all it was a great tasting experience.

I now have so much inspiration and ideas for different
chilli themed cooking: from spicy ketchups, to chilli based pestos and much
more.

We also bought a chilli plant – opting for one of the less
exotic varieties this time...

Have you ever been to the Bennington Chilli Festival, or
another one in the country for that matter? If you’re a seller of chilli based products and thinking of
attending a similar festival, remember one thing – samples (and lots of lolly
sticks or crackers for people to try them with.) There was one poor soul this year who bought no samples at
all and I don’t think I saw one person at his stall.

I’ve not been able to do an in depth review of all of the
products tried, you can see from the pictures some of the stalls that were
present. Anilah’s curry sauces were there again, Anilah NEVER disappoints, this
year offering a wide range of curry sauces, chutneys and popadoms as well as a
delicious lentil cake. But, perhaps my favourite product of the whole show was
the chilli cheese sauce from Hot Headz. It is the most moreish thing I have
ever tasted!!!

I loved it so much I’ll show you exactly where to buy it:
right from the Hot Headz website.

About Me

I’m an aspiring lawyer who considers it a crime not to cook and eat great food.
Since graduating from The University of Nottingham, and starting the LPC at BPP Law School in Holborn, London I am cooking up a storm back in my parents’ kitchen in between sampling the best food in and around London.